Aircraft



Y oct'. 1s, 1938. A, DANDlN, 2,133,283l

AIRCRAFT Filed Dec. 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Bid #do oct. 1s, 1938. A.DANDlNr 2,133,283 AIRCRAFT A r Filed Dec.v 18, 195s 2 sheetssnet' I NVEN TOR. 41.45.154 mvo Pana/vz ATTORNEYS'.

Patented oci. 1s, 193s UNITED s'mriesu-1. A'1r.1-r|-V OFFICE application116,544

The present invention relates to improvements in aircraft and hasparticular reference to a iiying machine of the helicopter type, themachine being sustained during flight by. a spiral wing i turning on avertical axis,v For this reason the craft is canes the spiral-irait.

It is particularly proposed to provide a fuselage, preferablyspherical-shaped in outline, which has a spiralwing mounted on the topthereof, and which makes use of novel means for controlling thedirection of flight of the ying machine and the relativeelevationthereof. 1 In my invention I propose to utilize a yokeshaped member thatis swingably mounted on the poles of the sphere, and which carries theelevator and rudder means exteriorly of the sphere.

yoke-shaped member is operable from a position within the sphere, and isswlngable over the outer surface of the latter for controlling theascension and descension of the fuselage and also the horizontaldirection thereof.

As a further object of the' invention, I propose to provide a novelretractable landing' gear', that is normally concealed within thefuselage, and which may be extended into a position to 'support theentire machine above the surface of the ground.

Moreover, I propose to make use of a spiral wing that is provided with achamber having lighter-than-airgas therein 'adapted to aid in sustainingthe flying machine in the air. The spiral wing is relatively large incomparison with the fuselage, andthe gas filled chamber preferablyextends from one end of the spiral wing to the other.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will bepointed out in the claims hereto attached.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be had tothe accompanying drawings forming part of this application, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevational view of the spiralcraft constructed inaccordance with my invention, parts being broken away vto disclose theinterior of the craft; and

Figure 2 a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1, with partsin elevation.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should beunderstood that various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the claims hereto attached without departing from thespirit ofthe invention.

In carrying my `invention 'into practice, I provideg'n aircraftindicated generally at I, and in- 1 A cluding in its structural featuresa fuselage 2,

preferably sphericai-shapemv having a spiral l' wing 3 mountedthereabov'e, and an` elevator 4 and a rudder 5 for directing the courseof thel craft during ilight.- J f The fuselage is divided interiorly bymeans o'f Y a. partition 8, intogan operating chamber 1, and apower-plant compartment. 8 arranged therem beneath, the partition beingmade to serve as a floor forthe operating-chamber. Rivets Sor othersuitable means may be provided for fastening the partition'to thewallI0' of. the oper- ,ating chamber.. 'C

It will be noted from Figure .-2 that I provide' a girder II in theupper'section o'f the chamber l. which is X-shaped in plan, andthe armsI2 of the girder are welded :or otherwise secured to. the innersurface-of vthe wall of the chamber. AI central bearing I3'is providedin the girder for rotatably supporting a driven shaft I4-, the latterhaving the spiralwing' 3 secured 'tothe upper end thereof. f 'I'he shaftI4 is provided at its lower end with. a. socket I5- adapted to benon-'rotatably connected to a drive shaft I6 vrising from the powerplantindicated .generally at I'I,l the latter being located beneath thepartition 6. Gearing I8 4may be utilized for connecting they drive shaftI 6 to the driven shaft I9 of the .poWer-plant,rand the transmission 20(see Figure A1) of the powerplant may be controlled by a shiftingmechanism 2I having- Aan operating lever 22 arranged in the operatingchamber.

The pilot, vwhen in the seat 23, actuatesthe lever 22 so as to cause thespiral vwing torotate Aat the desired speed. A clutch, not shown, undercontrol of the pedal 23'. may be provided in-the conventional manner foruse-when engaging the gears of the transmission 2Ii,of the power-plant.

Referringnow to. Figure 2 I provide a horizontally disposed shaft 24,which extends trans- -versely 'through the poles,l of the sphereI` VThis shaft is formed intermediateof its ends with a rack 25, which isoff-set suiilciently toclear the shaft I4, and a pinion 26 engagestherewith. A

vhand-wheel; 21 is operatively connected to the"- the cable. The chainsection engages with a sprocket 33 fixed to the rudder 5 inthe mannerillustrated.

The flexible cable and chain section are trained over pulleys 34 carriedby a yoke 35, `and upon moving the shaft 24 endwise, the cable 30Swinging movement is imparted to the yoke 35 Y by Vmeans of sprockets39, which vare keyed or otherwise secured to the trunnions 31.' Ahandwheel is provided'at 40 for turning the sprockets 39 through a wormdrive 4I and chains'42.

The 'trunnions' 31 are made hollow for slidably accommodating the shaft24, and that the cable 25 30 is guided alongthe length of the yoke 3 5.

` This construction permits -the elevator to be raised or lowered byoperating the hand-wheel 40, and at the same time the hand-wheel 21 canbeturned-forimparting a desired turning movementto the rudder 5 when itis desired to change A the course of the aircraft.

The 'spiral 3 is preferably fashioned with a chamber 43 extending fromone end of the spiral to the other. This chamber -is filledwithlighterthan-'air gas for,the purpose of aiding in the lifting of theaircraft.,

I have shown the spiral as gradually decreasing in diameter` from thelower end 44 to the upper end 45 thereof. It will be noted that the 40lower convolution 43 of the spiral isf larger in diameter than thediameter ofthe spherical shaped fuselage of the aircraft. For bracingthe several convolutions of the spiral 3, I provide guy wires 41,' whichare -anchored to Afittings 43 andi 49 on the shaft I4. A

f tube is telescoped overthe shaft I4 and has a number of arms 5Iextending radially therefrom, which in turn are fastened to4 the inner vmarginal portion 52 of the spiral.v

50 The elevator 4 and" rudder 5 are shown in the drawings as beingswunginto their \lowermost positions beneath the fuselage 2. The elevator.and rudder means may be swung about the poles of the sphere asindicatedby the arrows 52.

55 I provide a landing gear indicated generallyat 53 adapted forsupporting the aircraft sufficiently high above the ground to clear thebottom of the fuselage from the ground.

The landingI gear comprises four' cylinders 54 III) anchored to thegirder II as at 55, (see Figure 2) and tothe floor 5- of the operatingchamber at 56 (see Figure l). Within these cylinders I slidably mounttelescoping pistons 51. These pistons are adapted 'to be projected fromthe cylinders by u hydraulic means sa to position wheelsss on theunderlying ground surface indicated at '53', to

15 safety and for reducing the weight of the craft,

aisance `-a's at 3|, and a chain section 32 is provided in- I providereleasble connecting means' 3| between the floor 3 and a frame 62.' Thepower-plant and the fuel tanks are carried by the frame 52. Theconnecting means 6I may be of any desired construction and are adapted.to be released under 5 control of the pilot of the spiral-craft.

-It will be noted that the'` drive shaft I5 has a' squared upper end 62'.that may be disengaged from the socket I5 of the vertical shaft whenthe power plant is dropped from the fuselage. l 10 a further measure ofsafety, I have interposeda water tank 63 and an oil tank 64 between thefuel tanks 6I! and the power-plant to prevent the fuel from becomingoverheated.

From lthe foregoing description of the various 15 parts of,myspiralcraft, the operation thereof may be readily understood-V Thespiral '3 is set in motion, which results in lifting theentire'spiral-craft from theground. 'I'he lighter-than-air gasin thespiral -aids in lifting the craft, and 20 the latter is sustained by thelighter-than-air gas Aand by the rotation of the spiral.

'I'he ascension and descension of thecraft is regulated by swingingtheelevator 4 about the axis of the horizontal shaft 24 upon actuatingthe 25 hand-wheel 40, which results in tilting the shaft I4 with'respectto .the vertical. 'Ihe course' of fthe craft to the right and left isaltered by oper.-

ating the rudder 5 underv control of the hand wheel 21.

In the event that it should be found necessary to drop the power-plantand the fuel tanks during flight, the elevator and the rudder means arefirst moved into an out-of-the-way position s'o as to permit 4thepower-plant and the fuel tanks to be 35 dropped from the spiral-craft.

I claim: j l. In an aircraft, a substantially spherical shaped fuselage,a yoke supported on the fuselage for swinging movement about the polesof the 40 sphere, an elevator xed to the yoke, means for swinging theyoke to operate the elevator, a rud- -der mounted on the yoke and meansextending along the yoke and through the poles of the sphere to actuateythe rudder. 45

2. In an aircraft, a substantially spherical shaped fuselage, a yokemounted on the exterior of the fuselage for swinging movement about thepoles ofthe sphere, elejvator and rudder meanscarried by the yoke, meansfor swinging the yoke, 50 and means for actuating the rudder means.

3. In an aircraft, a spherical body, means for lifting and propellingthe body, and a rudder and elevator' assembly swingable about thehorizontal poles ofthe body for resisting rotary motion of 55 the body.

4. In an aircraft, a spherical body, means for lifting and propellingthe body, and a rudder and elevator assembly swingable about thehorizontal poles of the body for resisting rotary, motion of 00 thebody, and means for swinging the assembly about said axis wherebyresistance to rotary motion of the body is increasedQA 5. In anaircraft; a' spherical body,fmeans for A lifting the body, and guidemeans for the craft 05 swingable about the horizontal poles of the body.6. In -an aircraft, a lspherical body and guide means for the caftswingable about the horizontal poles of the body, th body comprising anupper compartment and a lower compartment and separable fastening meansfor the latter permitting it to be dropped in 'mid-air when the guidemeans are swung about said poles to clear the dropping lowercompartment.'l f

'1. In an.aircraft, a spherlcalbody and guide 15 means swingable abouta. horizontal axis of the body, the guide means comprising a pair ofalined bearings adjacent the shell of lthe body, a yoke movable over theoutside of the body and having trunnions revolvable in the bearings,means for turningthe trumiions for moving the yoke, an elevator bladefixed to the yoke, rudder blades pivoted in the yoke for swingingmovement over the elevator blade, a shaft movabledongitudinally in thetrunnions and having a exible connection with the rudder blades forswinging the latter when the shaft is moved, and means for impartingendwise motion to the shaft.

8. In an aircraft, a spherical'body, a rotary lifting wing in the formof a spiral mounted thereon, the lifting wing having a section with\ anouter circumferencelarger than the diameter of the body, and a rudderand elevator assembly movablel over the outer surface of the body andinto a position diametricallyopposite the spiral lifting wing.

ALESSANDRO DANDINI.

